Bristol radio show reported to Ofcom over antisemitism conspiracy claims
Conspiracy theorist's programme reported after episode included claims about the Rothschild family's involvement in Manchester arena bombing
Pro-Israel lawyers in the UK have lodged a complaint against a Bristol radio show alleged to have breached the national regulators’ code of conduct 14 times in a single episode.
UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) submitted the complaint to regulator Ofcom last week about Bristol Community FM’s weekly two-hour politics show hosted by Tony Gosling, a Quaker who edits a conspiracy theorist website.
UKLFI director Jonathan Turner said an episode on 23 November included allegations that the Manchester Arena bombing was carried out by MI5 in league with the Rothschild family, that Israeli children are indoctrinated, and that Palestinian children are intentionally killed by Israelis in Gaza.
Turner said Gosling has a separate podcast, the first episode of which looked at “Jewish exceptionalism” and whether Jews consider themselves to be the “master race,” discussed with Tony Greenstein and Gilad Atzmon.
UKLFI said the show was “filled with conspiracy theories, extremism, racism and propaganda and in breach of multiple provisions of the Ofcom Code,” adding: “This must be a cause for alarm. Ofcom should ensure that an extremist is not permitted a platform to spread his message of conspiracy and hate.”
Bristol Community FM chief executive Patrick Hart said: “Whilst wanting to train and support all of our volunteer presenters we do not condone nor support any type of discriminatory programming.”
He added: “We do try to allow programmes to explore issues that mainstream media do not and this sometimes means pushing the boundaries of expression. However if this programme has been found to breach those principles or indeed the Ofcom guidelines then we will take appropriate action.”
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